HTC One uses microphones exclusive to Nokia

After suffering from delays because of its Ultrapixel camera, it's more bad news for HTC's flagship One smartphone. Nokia has been granted a preliminary injunction by the Amsterdam district court over the technology used in the handset. See also: Group test: What's the best smartphone?

It turns out that the HDR microphone used in the HTC One, which it uses for Sense Voice offering clarity for voice calls, is actually technology invented by Nokia and exclusively manufactured by ST Microelectronics. Nokia uses the microphones in its Lumia range of Windows Phone 8 handsets.

Nokia said: "HTC has no license or authorization from Nokia to use these microphones or the Nokia technologies from which they have been developed."

In response, HTC said it is: "disappointed in the decision. We are considering whether it will have any impact on our business and we will explore alternative solutions immediately."

It's unclear whether HTC was aware of the situation or whether the guilty party is ST Microelectronics for miss-selling the components to the Taiwanese smartphone maker.

At the simplest, HTC will have to pay Nokia some kind of licensing fee but may sue ST Microelectronics if it is in the wrong. In an extreme case, HTC One units might have to be recalled.

This is one of the latest in a number of cases brought by Nokia to end HTC's unauthorized use of Nokia's inventions, said the firm. "More than 40 Nokia patents have been asserted against HTC in Germany, the US and the UK." it added.